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'If the animal is attacked by a predator – herons for instance are fond of the occasional frog – it will quite naturally drop its spawn and the associated glycoprotein.

'This is designed to swell on contact
with water, which gives the gelatinous mass we are all familiar with in
frog spawn.

'However, if it’s unfertilized, it is just the empty
glycoprotein that is dropped – which on contact with moist ground will
swell and give a clear slime like substance'.

Could the recent meteor have caused the slime? 14th century folklore believed slime was 'star jelly'

'While this is our favoured explanation for this appearance of slime, it’s also worth remembering that other things can give a similar appearance.

'Certain slime moulds can. So can the wonderfully named crystal brain fungus, but this only appears on wood. And as mentioned yesterday, certain algae, and blue-green algae can also appear as a clear slime'.

Star jelly's sporadic appearance around the world has continually dumb-founded scientists.

In 2011 it materialised in and around the fells of Patterdale, Cumbria.

It was also spotted in 2009 when it was discovered in the hills of Scotland.

Speaking yesterday, Steve Hughes, the RSPB site manager
at Ham Wall, near Glastonbury, said: 'This past week we've been finding
piles of this translucent jelly dotted around the reserve.

'Always on grass banks away from the water's edge. They are usually about 10cm (4in) in diameter.

'We've asked experts what it might be, but as yet no one is really sure.

'Whatever it is, it's very weird.'

Scientific speculation as to the nature of the jelly was varied. One of the more favoured explanations is that it was a form of cyanobacteria called Nostoc, an aquamarine algae with cells arranged in beadlike chains that are grouped together in a gelatinous mass.

Some, however, suggested that it was the remains of the regurgitated innards of amphibians such as frogs and toads and of their spawn.

Alternatively, it may be related to the intriguingly named crystal brain fungus, which is a translucent-white jelly substance.